Anna Bensi, Cuban Influencer: 'I have left fear behind because freedom is a thousand times more important'
Cuban influencer Anna Bensi is using her platform to advocate for freedom and highlight the struggles of her fellow Cubans, despite facing harassment from the regime.
Anna Bensi, a 21-year-old influencer from Havana, has taken a bold stance against the oppressive regime in Cuba through her social media platforms on TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. She shares the daily struggles of Cuban citizens, emphasizing the importance of freedom in a country burdened by poverty, blackouts, and repression. Recently, she honored fellow influencers Kamil Zayas and Ernesto Ricardo Medina, who were arrested for their involvement in the independent project El 4tico, further solidifying her position as a critical voice against the Castro dictatorship.
Bensi envisions a future for Cuba free from oppressive constraints and is determined to be a part of the movement pushing for change. Her fearless rhetoric has drawn the ire of the regime, leading to personal repercussions including the loss of her job, internet disruptions, and harassment by state agents in her neighborhood of Alamar. Such retaliation highlights the risks faced by those who dare to speak out in an environment where dissent is heavily suppressed.
As Bensi continues to raise awareness about the plight of her compatriots and the urgent need for freedom, her story encapsulates the broader struggle of Cubans yearning for basic human rights and liberties. The situation of her imprisoned friends from El 4tico underscores the hazards of activism in Cuba and emphasizes the critical need for solidarity and support from the international community to combat the authoritarian rule that has silenced so many voices for change.